House Cousland
"Castle Highever has stood since the Divine Age, when it was not an independent bannorn, but merely an outpost of the growing Bannorn of Amaranthine, in the days before Amaranthine became an arling itself. The outpost of Highever was originally held by the Elstan family, cousins of the Howes. In the Age of Towers, however, Bann Conobar Elstan was murdered by his wife, Flemeth, thus ending the bloodline. Conobar's captain of the guard, Sarim Cousland, took the lands and title. The Couslands declared their independence from Amaranthine, starting a war that lasted 30 years. When the dust settled, Highever was on its own, and in possession of half the land that had once been southwestern Amaranthine. Highever became a teyrnir during the Black Age, when Haelia Cousland gathered the lords together under her banner to drive the werewolves out of their lands, earning herself the title of teyrna almost as an afterthought. Today, Highever is one of only two remaining teyrnirs, making the Cousland family second in rank only to the king." —Excerpt from Ferelden: Folklore and History House Cousland of Highever is the second most powerful noble family of Ferelden, ruling over the northern coastlands from their ancestral seat in Castle Cousland, having been retaken by the Couslands from House Howe. It is one of the oldest lines of Fereldan nobility — claiming a line of descent stretching back over six hundred twenty-four years ago as Alamarri tribesmen during in the Towers Age and before the kingdom was founded in the mid-Exalted Age — and the only two remaining teyrnirs, giving them wealth and power second only to the royal family. The head of the house is the Teyrn of Highever. Fergus Cousland is the current Teyrn of Highever as of 9:31 Dragon, having been elevated to the position after the Fifth Blight ended. Their dominion seemingly ended after the fall of Castle Cousland before the battle at Ostagar when Arl Rendon Howe of Amaranthine betrayed them, having harbored deepening jealousy of Teyrn Bryce Cousland's influence and power, resenting that his family — whom he deemed "nobler" — was of lower social and political statue than the Couslands. Howe nearly wiped out the entire Cousland family and conquered Highever within hours, claiming its titles and lands for himself. But his hold was jeopardized when Bryce's youngest son Aedan Cousland escaped to join the Grey Wardens. House Cousland was restored to their former stature by Ferelden's royal family after the Blight, with Bryce's eldest son Fergus inheriting Highever and becoming the next Teyrn. House Cousland's heraldry is a green laurel wreath resembling two white wings on a blue field. Known members Current * Teyrn Fergus Cousland * Warden-Commander Aedan Cousland * Leliana (by marriage) * Adrien Former * Bann Sarim Cousland † * Bann Haelia/Mather Cousland † * Teyrna Elethea Cousland † * Teyrn Ardal Cousland † * Teyrn William Cousland † * Teyrn Bryce Cousland † * Teyrna Eleanor Cousland † * Oriana Cousland (by marriage) † * Oren Cousland † Category:MarkRulez711 Category:Articles by MarkRulez711 Category:Fereldans Category:Families Category:Fereldan nobility